


Excalibur Delivered

by LaDonnaErrante, podfic_lover



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Audio Book, Audio Format: M4B, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming, Chilvalric romance, Community: pt-lightning, Excalibur, Gen, Implied F/F, Podfic, Podfic Length: 10-20 Minutes, Poetry, Torquato Tasso, implied gwen/morgana - Freeform, pod together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-03-31 08:04:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3970276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaDonnaErrante/pseuds/LaDonnaErrante, https://archiveofourown.org/users/podfic_lover/pseuds/podfic_lover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgana, rightful heir to the throne of Camelot seeks Excalibur in the Lake of Avalon. She is accompanied by Guinevere. Told in the style of Tasso.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Excalibur Delivered

**Author's Note:**

> Riddles adapted from the 1st Child Ballad.

**Podfic**

 **Length:** 11min:22sec

 **Download & streaming links MediaFire:** [mp3 (15.6 Mb)](http://www.mediafire.com/listen/we2cri9t9ct7bzl/Merlin_\(BBC\)_-_Excalibur_Delivered.mp3) or [audiobook (15.5 Mb)](http://www.mediafire.com/listen/1ace22y5ms8222g/Excalibur_Delivered.m4b)

  
  


**First Song:**

 

The Argument:

We find our brave lady errant

Uther's rightful scion

Banished for magical talent.

Morgana gains legions

She dreams o'the sword of a regent

When found, she'll rule Albion

Lady Morgana awakens

The first steps are taken

 

I

In a thickly wooded bower

She roams throughout the wild,

Wielding magic of great power.

For this she is exiled

With fair Camelot's tall towers

She hopes to reconcile

None but brave Gwen came to her aid

Soon their plans will be laid

 

II

In Camelot's court Uther rules

Wizards fear for their lives

Prince Arthur puts up with the fool

Merlin tries to survive

To save his prince he oft must duel

The dragon, he connives

Kilgharrah tells them of a sword

In a lake unexplored

 

III

When Morgana was just a girl

Her dreams often came true

She saw drowned in a fiery swirl

Mother bidding adieu

She found her dead, choked on a pearl

Her fierce grief grew and grew

Then she was treated by Gaius

Whose draughts kept dreams quiet

 

IV

A true cure, Gaius could not find

Always the dreams returned

Day and night visions plagued her mind

For peaceful sleep she yearned

She saw them tortured and confined.  

Innocents all were burned

Druids caught for their ablutions

Fire of executions

 

V

When Morgana took to her bed

Guinevere would nurse her,

Calm the storm that raged in her head.

Inseparable they were

When she learned she was deceived    

Her wrath Gaius incurred

Guinevere, was loyal and brave

Morgana she did save.

  
  


VI

Guinevere with skin like copper

Came to her lady's side

Unbidden, she traveled with her.

In a dark cave, Gwen spied

Bradamante's lance and armor.

Taking them, she supplied

All those she met with defeat

Thieves and knights she'd unseat

 

VII

Jointly  they gathered an army

Under their own banner

Seeking to reign honorably

Like Druids, the Soldiers

Swore fealty to their lady

No men had been truer

All were surely tried and tested

Their vows she accepted

 

 

VIII

Morgana saw a glittering sword

Held by a maiden fair

"It's yours." She hangs on every word.

Thrown by the maid, mid-air

Glimmering it falls in a fjord

"You, are the rightful heir."

Morgana awakes with a start

Fate quivers in her heart.

 

**Second Song**

The Argument:

Morgana and Guinevere go

To seek the sword and crown

On the way they find trials, though

They can't find their way 'round

First, a quest they must undergo

Solve riddles of renown

Meanwhile Arthur and Merlin aim

to undertake the same.

  
  


I

Encamped in a dark pine forest

At the base of a peak

Morgana's army takes their rest

While the two ladies seek

The lake and the path that is best

The outlook it seems bleak

Morgan begins to doubt her dream

She and Gwen start to scheme

 

II

“We must consult the high priestess

She will have an answer

If she finds favor she'll help us

But we must appease her”

At dawn they climbed to her fortress

Wind and snow did holler:

"Welcome seekers of caliburn

I know what you must learn"

 

III

At the peak stands a wrinkled crone

"Two tests you must withstand"

If you are to ascend the throne

To find the hidden land

If your sharp wits are truly shown

A map you'll have in hand

Consider now these questions three

Correctly answer me.”

 

IV

"O' what is louder than the horn?"

"The thunder of a storm"

"O' what is sharper than a thorn?"

"The cold in need of warm."

"O what is worse than woman was?’

"Man, rotten to his core."

Thus Morgana gives her replies.

Wonderment fills Gwen's eyes

 

V

With knowledge of Avalon's lake

Together they decamp

And make their way without mistake

To her shores, which are damp

Thick with mist, hiding the daybreak

whereupon they encamp.

No sooner have they settled in

Wort appears with Merlin.

 

**Third Song**

 

The Argument

On the shores of Lake Avalon

The two great armies meet

They battle from dawn until dawn

Still there's no clear defeat

Gwen leads the troops hither and yon

Many knights she unseats

So she sends Morgana in turn

To claim her Caliburn

 

I

On the battlefield cries ring out

Iron swords clash and clang

'Tis push and shove, and scream and shout

Swords scraping on shields sang

Camelot's forces they did rout

From every nook they sprang

Druids use their magic ancient

Merlin fights enchantments

 

II

When Gwen has pushed the knights against

the mountain pass  narrow

She knows she can hold her defence

Fighting hard she won't slow

She to the lake Morgana sends

To find the sword aglow

In her place she does steadfastly

Command the men bravely

 

III

And while Morgana was away

Gwen did unseat Arthur

Then they fought hard in the melee

Blow for blow he matched her

Gasping she tumbled in the fray

Then he pierced her armor

Once on the ground she moaned and groaned

Hot blood ran down her gown

  
  


**Fourth Song**

 

The Argument

Morgana meets the guardian

Of fine Excalibur

Her wits are tested once again

Of victory, she's sure

With hero's strength the blade she gains

Returns to battle pure

But there she finds, sweet Gwen wounded

And vows her revenge unbounded

 

I

In the water Morgana wades

Around her ripples form

Far away sounds of battle fade

She slips beneath the foam

There in the deep a lady stayed

Her beauty felt like home

She filled the lake with golden light

Her radiance lit the night

 

II

A song Nimueh begins to sing

Echoing through the sea

"I know my dear, what gifts you bring

why you have come to me

You shall rule better than a king

With wit and sorcery.

Before you can have Caliburn

You must its greatness earn."

 

III

"Why seek you to rule Camelot

Sit on her ancient throne?"

"Because her glory is forgot

Her honor is unknown

Her sorcerers are cruelly caught

Justice the courts disown.

I will restore her righteous days

And all shall sing her praise."

 

IV

“Well said my daughter, you have learned

Now you have earned your prize

Take mighty shining Caliburn

Be sure to use him wise

For grave has the battlefield turned

Injured Gwen nearly dies

Go now to her and retaliate

If not you'll meet harsh fate”

  
  
  


**Fifth Song**

 

The Argument

Morgana turns to battle's heat

To find Gwen unconscious

In combat she performs great feats

Fighting Arthur, dauntless

She drives him to  a true defeat

Leaving Arthur lifeless

With great care she returns to Gwen

Heals her and rules from then

 

I

She returns to help her soldiers,

Finds poor Gwen fallen down

Shaking her she tries to tell her

"Gwen, I've secured the crown"

Still Guinevere seems to slumber

"The guilty I'll hunt down"

So truly for her friend she cares

Revenge Morgana swears

  
  


II

Before Morgana takes her leave

Gwen stirs very slightly

"It was Arthur" she softly breathes

Morgan goes forthrightly

To find him as day turns to eve,

He is fighting deftly.

She casts a spell of mighty force,

knocks men off their horses.

 

III

She marches up to the great prince

Who is standing frozen

“At last,” said she, “it’s two years since

Battle we had chosen.”

Chivalry Arthur did evince

“This battle can be done,

We needn’t fight, your general’s dead

Lay the Crown on my head”

  
  


IV

Slowly she draws Excalibur

Glinting in morning sun

He gasps, she smirks at his pallor

He knows his time has come

She advances, they deftly spar

Neither one dares to run

The clanking of their swords rings out

She stabs him with a shout

 

V

He falls back, crying "I'm wounded"

She shows him no mercy

One swift stroke did sever his head

He has not time to plea

There amongst the dung heaps and dead

He dies in misery

Morgana takes his crown pristine

And declares herself queen

 

VI

Running, she looks for Guinevere

Finds her barely breathing

Her condition is quite severe

She's in need of healing

Morgana sees the problem clear

Begins her conjuring.

Cutting off her dark hair, she binds

Gwen's wounds with strands entwined

 

VII

As Morgana casts enchantments

Guinevere starts to stir

She awakes, no longer dormant

Sees her queen smile at her

Hears her praise her lady gallant

"Let's away to th'towers

Of Camelot, where we shall reign

and Uther's men restrain"

 

VIII

For many years no war was found

Inside fair Camelot

Sweet grain and water did abound

Peace Morgana's rule brought

Sorcery was used all around

No more were witches caught

She and Gwen reigned long, wise and fair

And for their people cared


End file.
